Street-sign.



-J. A. BLACK.

STREET SIGN. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8.1918.

1,287,196. Patented Dec. 10, 1918 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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J. A. BLACK.

STREET SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1918.

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.rosnrn A. BLACK, OF'CHABLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.-

STREET-SIGN.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A, BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Charleston, State of South Carolina, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street- Signs, of which the following is a description, reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to street signaling devices and has for its object to provide "a simple inexpensive readily portable device which can be placed wherever desired to warn drivers of vehicles or others of ob:- struction r necessity for changing speed, avoiding unnecessary noise or-other cautionary or other warning necessary to be given.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will carry a plurality of cautionary or other signs, any one of whic may be displayed, the displayed sign being locked in displayed position and all the others so locked that they cannot be displayed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device ofthis character which will be adapted to carry a lantern for night use and in which the lantern so used will be lockedv against removal.

7 A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be constructed of materials in common use without the use of special tools.

' With these and other objects hereinafter explained the invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 .is a side elevation ofa stree signaling device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a' 'fron't elevation of the same. I Fig. 3 is a yertical sectional View. of the casing containing the signs on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the portion of the device shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a-horizontal sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings 1 indicates a casing open at one side in which a series of indlcating signs 2 are pivoted and so arranged thatany one of'them may be swung outward and downward sons to be visible, the one thus exhibited being arranged to be locked in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

Application filed July 8, 1918. Serial N 0. 243,765. I

exhibited position and the others to be locked against being swung downward into visible position.

The casing 1 is arranged to be supported on a standard ,3 carried by a base 4. A -vert1cal arm 5 extends upward from the top of standard 3 along the rear of the easing 1 which is secured to it, and has at its upper end a horizontal arm 6 extending over the top of the casing and forked-at its end to receive the bail of a lantern the base of which rests in a flanged plate 7 carried on the top of the casing. The forked ends 8 of arm 6 are perforated at 9 to receive the. bow of a padlock 10 by which the bail of the lantern is locked against removal.

The series of indicating signs 2 are pivoted in the lower part of the casing on a rod 11, this rOd and the holes in the indicating signs through which it passes being so located than when the signs are dropped to exhibiting position the inner portions of .their lower and front edges will'strike and rest on a suitable abutment 12 near the front edge of the casing so as to extend outward in horizontal position.

Through the side walls of the casingnear the front edges of these walls extends a re movable locking belt 13. The holes inthe side walls of the casing through which this locking bolt passes are located a distance above the abutment'12 slightly less than the width of the indicating signs and at such distance from the pivot rod 11 that when in place the locking bolt will be in front of all of the indicating signs which are in vertical position within the casing and will pass through a recess 14 found in the upper edge of the indicating sign which has been swung downward into exhibiting position, the looking bolt thus serving to hold the sign which is in exhibiting position against being swung upward to return it to the casing and at the same time to hold the other signs from being swung down out of the casing. The locking bolt is provided with a suitable head 15 at one end and at the other end is pro vided with a hole. 16 through which the bow of -a padlock 17 may be inserted.

Near thefupper front edge of its side walls the casing is preferably provided with a swinging bail 18 pivoted on stub bolts 19 which may be swung over the upper front ends of the indicating signs to hold them temporarily against swinging forward and casing by plates 21 preferably of wood.

The plates 20 and 21 extend above the level of the locking bolt 13 and are perforated to receive this locking bolt, the locking bolt being thus sustained at numerous points throughout its length so that it cannot be bent.

The flange of the flanged plate 7 is of such height and the distance from the flanged plate to the horizontal arm 6 is such that when the base of the lantern is in the flanged plate and its bail is locked in the fork of the horizontal arm the lantern cannot be lifted out of the flanged plate.

The standard 3 is preferably formed of ordinary water or gas pipe with an ordinary T 22 coupling at its upper end into one end of which is inserted a nipple 23 and into the other end of which is inserted an'elbow 24 .into the upturned. end of which is secured by means of an ordinary reducer, a piece of relatively small pipe forming the vertical arm 5. An elbow 25 at the upper end of arm 5 carries the horizontal arm 6. The casmaking a strong but inexpensive supporting frame which can readily .be constructed in any steam or gas fitting shop. The casing l is preferably formed of sheet metal bent to the shape of a box open on. one side. The indicating signs are preferably of sheet metal and may be pf any desired number each sign being paintedand lettered to give the information desired.

. It will readily be seen that when the apj propriate sign intended to be displayed has been swung down into place and the locking bolt 13 placed in position and locked by its padlock, the sign cannot be changed without unlocking the padlock, And for night use when the lantern, usually a red lantern is placed in position and its bail locked in the fork of arm 6, it cannot be removed or tampered with except by some one having the key of the padlock.

A casing l of convenient size will carry twelve or more signs each of course lettered to indicate the character 'of obstruction or directions to drivers of vehicles or others.

By the use of a dozen signs practically all of the warnings or directions likely to be needed can be provided for. When all of the signs are swung upward into the casing and locked by the locking bolt the complete device 'may be readily transported to the place where it is needed and when placed in position the appropriate sign may be swung down into exhibiting position and there locked and the device can then be safely left without risk of being interfered with.

Having thus described my invention what Iclaim is:

1. A street sign exhibiting device (3011'!- prising a series of signs pivoted near their lower ends on a common pivot,a casing inclosing the signs open at its front and looking means carried by the casing adapted to lock a sign in exhibiting position and to lock other signs within the casing.

2. A street sign exhibiting device comprising a series of signs pivoted near their lower ends on a common pivot, a casing inclosing the signs open at its front and lock ing means carried by the casing adapted to look a sign in exhibiting position and to lock other signs within the casing consisting of a locking bolt extending through the side walls of the casing at a point above and in front of the pivot.

3. A street sign exhibit-ing de'viee com prising a series of signs pivoted near their lower ends on a common pivot, a casing inclosing the signs open at its front, means on the-upperend of the casing for supporting a lantern, an arm extending over the upper end of the casing adapted to receive and retain the bail ofthe lantern.

4. A street sign exhibiting device comprising a series of signs pivoted near their lower ends on a common pivot, a casing inclosing the signs open at its front, means on the upper end of the casing for supporting a lantern, comprising a flanged plate and anarm extending over the flanged plate having its end forked to receive the bail of the lantern. s

. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature this 22 day of June, 1918.

' v JOSEPH A. BLACK; 

